Memory Rasa
MASVINGO – A suspected armed robber, who was recently nabbed in connection with a hijacking incident in South Africa among other crimes, is demanding that he be tried in South Africa where he committed the offences.
Newton Hungwe (32) of Stand number 603 Nemanwa appeared at Masvingo Provincial Court where he pleaded guilty to car theft charges before Magistrate Langton Ndokera.
He however demanded that he be extradited to South Africa where the crimes were committed, saying Zimbabwe’s laws were unjust.
Magistrate Ndokera, however, placed Hungwe on routine remand with the next hearing scheduled for September 2, 2016.
It is the State’s case that on August 04, 2016, Hungwe robbed a man identified only as Mabaya of his Toyota D4D Legend, 2015 model (registration DKV 516 L) at gunpoint at an Engen garage in Makhado, South Africa.
The victim was left seriously injured and traumatised by the ordeal and was reportedly still admitted in hospital by time of writing.
The accused is alleged to have disposed of one tracker from the car but did not know that the car was equipped with two tracking devices.
After the robbery, Mabaya reported the matter to Makhado police who alerted the public through WhatsApp groups and encouraged users to forward the message to their other groups.
Masvingo CID then arrested Hungwe in Masvingo CBD with the help from a vehicle tracking company in South Africa.
The suspect had fraudulent vehicle documents; signed and certified affidavits from the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The court heard that the accused was about to sell the car to one business woman for US$9000 but the woman become suspicious of the generous price.
The suspect then offered to sell her another 4×4 Nissan which was parked at his house in Nemamwa but she later gave a statement to the police after coming across the WhatsApp message notifying the public of the stolen car.
Nancy Makuvise represented the State.news
